cannabisnews.com: Poll: California Divided on Legalizing Pot
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Poll: California Divided on Legalizing Pot
Posted by CN Staff on May 19, 2010 at 13:32:13 PT
By Josh Richman, Oakland Tribune
Source: Oakland Tribune
California -- Voters are evenly divided for and against legalizing marijuana, according to poll results released Wednesday. The Public Policy Institute of California's survey of 2,003 adults, conducted May 9 through 16 with a two-percentage-point margin of error, shows 49 percent oppose legalization while 48 percent support it.; a subset of likely voters shows almost the same result.Politics, geography and demographics seem to dictate which side people are on: 56 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of independents favor legalization while only 34 percent of Republicans favor it.
Legalization's strongest support is here in the Bay Area, where 56 percent of residents favor it; other regions are either divided or opposed. A majority of whites — 56 percent — favor legalization, while most Latinos — 62 percent — oppose it. And support for legalization decreases with age: 56 percent of adults aged 18 to 34 are in favor compared to only 42 percent aged 55 and older. The Tax Cannabis 2010 initiative which has qualified for November's ballot would let people at least 21 have, grow or transport marijuana for personal use, and would let cities and counties decide whether to regulate and tax commercial production and sale, most likely creating a system of "wet" and "dry" counties as in states with similar alcohol laws. It also would boost the criminal penalty for giving marijuana to a minor, prohibit consumption in public or while minors are present, and maintain existing laws against driving under the influence.Oakland City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to endorse the measure, California's first city government to do so. Oakland is the nation's first city with a voter-approved policy for controlling and taxing cannabis; the city's medical marijuana dispensaries will pay an estimated $500,000 this year.Campaign spokesman Dan Newman on Wednesday called the poll results "more evidence that voters remain eager to replace a failed policy with a more honest approach." He said the campaign's own polling — a statewide survey of 800 voters conducted May 6 through 12 with a three-percentage point margin of error — shows 51 percent support the measure upon hearing only the title, with 40 percent opposed.But Tim Rosales, spokesman for Public Safety First — a coalition of law enforcement groups, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other entities and people opposing the measure — said the poll shows that even before advertising about what is "so terribly wrong with this proposed initiative, the proponents start off in serious trouble."Jack Pitney, politics professor at Claremont McKenna College, agreed the poll shows "it's going to be a very tough sell.""It says that proponents of the measure are going to have to work very, very hard because the general tendency is for ballot measures to lose support over time," he said, especially as voters realize the ongoing federal ban on marijuana could blunt expected tax revenues and as foes bombard the electorate with images of kids getting stoned.The measure's proponents are Oaksterdam University President Richard Lee and Patient ID Center Executive Director Jeff Jones; about 94 percent of the $1.5 million raised for the measure so far has come from Lee's businesses.Support for medical marijuana use, legalized under Proposition 215 of 1996, remains strong at 76 percent, according to the poll.Source: Oakland Tribune (CA)Author: Josh Richman, Oakland TribunePublished: May 19, 2010Copyright: 2010 MediaNews Group, Inc. Contact: triblet angnewspapers.com Website: http://www.oaklandtribune.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/rWFmEPJFCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #15 posted by afterburner on May 19, 2010 at 21:50:06 PT
Health Freedom Amendment Needed More than Ever
For quite a while, I have been advocating a Health Freedom Amendment. Now, the world's largest Health Freedom website has proposed such an amendment to safeguard the availability of heritage seeds & food and uncorrupted organic standards. They are also seeking input from concerned citizens.Open Letter: Health Freedom Bills and Constitutional Amendment:
The Freedom of Health Speech and Conscience Amendment
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=fqBLMjXD5o29j4YxbYrkSsdbOKFNd3mRI am concerned that if food & supplements are over-regulated (like drugs) by the FDA, FTC and Codex, --That instead of cannabis being treated like parsley, lettuce & tomatoes --That parsley, lettuce & tomatoes may be subject to the same corporate-influenced propaganda-based junk-science approach and arbitrary over-regulation that has been used to demonize, corrupt & prohibit cannabis.In other words if we don't oppose the attacks on organic standards, the lack of labeling of GMO franken-foods, the unrestricted use of untested and unproven nanotechnology on our food supply, we may end up with franken-pot and no clean food. These worldwide attacks on our health choices are being implemented by wrong-headed legislation, uninformed court rulings, and pressure by international "health" agencies and by the deep pockets of the pharmaceutical industry. The result of inaction on these threats will be more sickness and death in the population.The following link are just a sample of the threats we face as proponents of nutrition & integrative alternative complementary and preventative medicine.U.S. Institute of Medicine Study Urges New Approach to Regulating Supplements – Big Pharma Influenced Doctors Get it Wrong Again.
May 18, 2010
http://www.anh-usa.org/u-s-institute-of-medicine-study-urges-new-approach-to-regulating-supplements-%E2%80%93-big-pharma-influenced-doctors-get-it-wrong-again/Nanotechnology: New Threat to Organic Foods.
May 18, 2010
http://www.anh-usa.org/nanotechnology-new-threat-to-organic-foods/Latest European Court of Justice Ruling on Supplements: Comme ci, Comme ça.
May 18, 2010
http://www.anh-usa.org/latest-european-court-of-justice-ruling-on-supplements-comme-ci-comme-ca/"Let your food be your medicine," said Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, who compiled a list of over four hundred herbs and their uses.If you want a visual approach to the subject, watch for the movie "How Weed Won the West" (2010), coming soon to your area. Sacred Cow Productions presents a film by Kevin Booth starring Alex Jones, Ethan Nadlemann, Bret Bogue, T. Rodgers, Freeway Ricky Ross, Ed Forchian - NJ Weedman, ..., Pineapple Kush Crew.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #14 posted by dankhank on May 19, 2010 at 19:32:42 PT
OT ... Haute Stoner Cuisine ...
more elevation to mainstream culturehttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/dining/19pot.html?ref=homepage&src=me&pagewanted=all
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #13 posted by Had Enough on May 19, 2010 at 19:24:46 PT
GCW
I concur...The present party needs to listen up...if they can or will...they can gain a lot of support...but will they recognize the fact...We will see...As you stated...they haven’t much to lose...Now is the time...when/if the party of ‘NO’ takes over again we will have lost a lot of ground.But then again...if the ‘NO’ party takes over we will still have gained a whole lot of momentum...maybe enough to overwhelm their ilk (Souder)...Kinda...Like a rolling stone...***Jimi Hendrix - Like A Rolling Stone Monterey Pophttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYwZ8I8wOGA
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #12 posted by The GCW on May 19, 2010 at 19:14:40 PT
b4daylight,
One thing that would help in El Paso is to get the El Paso Times newspaper on program.I believe that newspaper prints more drug war related stories about the Mexican / American border problems than any other. About 30 plus for April... While I have not read all their news items, many are on the MAP archive.I've felt dissapointed in their slant toward perpetuating cannabis prohibition in the past and working toward educating that newspaper could be a big help.So many citizens on both sides of the border are and have been seriously harmed over the discredited cannabis laws.In fact the whole out of control problem in that region of the continent can be traced to cannabis prohibition.Traced to cannabis prohibition from the beginning, even in Biblical terms.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #11 posted by b4daylight on May 19, 2010 at 18:28:19 PT
El Paso Legalize it.
Coming from El Paso, City representative calls for legalization.
Stop the violence and get off your moral high horse. (my words).
video
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid35146468001?bctid=86137508001
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #10 posted by The GCW on May 19, 2010 at 17:51:20 PT
josephlacerenza,
That's good josephlacerenza; Thanks.It's an eye opener too.Those Republicans look like they are going to whoop the Democrats unless they do something significant!And what could they do?It's time to make the big move; the big experiment.It's time to use those stats to their advantage.Democrats could come out and say they will help RE-legalize cannabis and watch their support GROW.It could and they don't have anything to lose because they are going to lose otherwise.Or so it seems.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #9 posted by runruff on May 19, 2010 at 17:43:36 PT
A pretty good guy?
Dear Jerry, Thank you for contacting me to share your views about the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. It is an honor to serve as your Senator, and I appreciate hearing from you. As you may know, I support the use of doctor-prescribed medical marijuana to alleviate the painful side effects and symptoms of serious illnesses. I believe that patients suffering from terminal diseases and chronic pain should have access to the full spectrum of treatment options. Marijuana has been clinically proven to have medical value in the treatment of individuals suffering from HIV/AIDs, cancer, glaucoma, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Under the informed guidance of physicians, medical marijuana offers patients an alternative to powerful prescription narcotics, which often have negative side effects themselves and can be addictive. At the same time, I believe we must ensure that there are systems in place to limit any abuses this type of access can allow. As a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, I supported Oregon's medical marijuana law, which decriminalizes the use of marijuana for medical purposes. While there is currently no similar federal law, please know that I will continue to support efforts to decriminalize the use of medical marijuana and to protect Oregon's laws. Thank you, again, for sharing your thoughts with me. I hope you will continue to keep me informed about the issues that matter most to you. All my best,Jeff Merkley
United States Senate
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #8 posted by The GCW on May 19, 2010 at 17:41:34 PT
Here's one.
'Medicinal' alcohol made mockery of Prohibitionhttp://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/medicinal-alcohol-made-mockery-of-prohibition/1095789
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #7 posted by FoM on May 19, 2010 at 17:35:31 PT
ekim
Thank you for the update and all you do.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #6 posted by FoM on May 19, 2010 at 17:34:31 PT
josephlacerenza
Thank you for the link.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #5 posted by ekim on May 19, 2010 at 16:29:35 PT
Howard was just in Oregon
Reflections on the Oregon tour for MAMA: I spent a thoroughly enjoyable 14 days with 3 dedicated reformers, driving a couple of thousand miles and attending several events everyday. I met dozens of medical cannabis patients who were helping others with advice on product, growing tips, sharing meds and simply being good human beings. After 5 years in the ‘belly of the beast’ = DC, my spirit was renewed by so many unselfish acts.The tour was capped* by an afternoon at the MAMA house in Portland. 50 odd med cannabis patients enjoyed a perfect spring day. Sandee Burbank whom I met in 2003 as she gained excellent Oregon media coverage on my first Misty trip----has been a fireball for 30 years in Oregon. What a woman! She only needs to pick up the phone to bring me back.Wearing my COPs t-shirt everyday was a happy annoyance for my companions. About 10 people a day asked me why, causing a few minor delays on our travels. However, 5 shirts were ordered during the trip, so the shirt lives on. Citizens do want to speak out on the issue and the shirt is a good vehicle.www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.orghttp://mamas.org/
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Comment #4 posted by EAH on May 19, 2010 at 15:12:53 PT:
passage
There's definitely going to be a high burden for passage. Most people aren't users so their personal interest is not affected. Even though they should be interested for other reasons many people just aren't knowledgeable about the subject, they believe much of the myths and lies that have persisted for decades.If it doesn't pass it won't be because it isn't a good idea. TV advertising is going to be a major factor. If proponents can't put enough of the right kind of ads on TV, the other side will take advantage and diminish support. Political ads these days are vicious. A few points either way are going to be very important. The other thing is turnout, younger voters need to turnout and that is less reliable than older voters turning out. It is not a legalization proposition that is masterfully written and will create
a great result. It's very weak and does some very questionable things. The fact is that any legalization that doesn't make cannabis regulation about the same as alcohol is going to create a different mess than the mess we have now albeit lees bad.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #3 posted by josephlacerenza on May 19, 2010 at 14:50:53 PT
It was too long a link, oops
Try this one: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mason-tvert/poll-marijuana-legalizati_b_580801.html
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Comment #2 posted by josephlacerenza on May 19, 2010 at 14:49:01 PT
C-News, from the Huff Po
Good piece out of Denver!! : P
Marijuana More Popular Then All Colorado Gub. Candidates
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 19, 2010 at 13:54:33 PT
MMJ Factory Could Be Coming To MI Township
Massive Medical Marijuana Factory Could Be Coming To MI TownshipMay 19, 2010URL: http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=12509744
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